Part 2.Photographic gear to take on upcoming trip to Cambodia and Laos

As noted last weekend, I have a trip planned for next week to visit some areas of Cambodia and Laos that receive very few visitors. Rather than visiting Angkor Wat and Luang Prabang with its high volume tourists, I have developed an alternate trip. I will travel overland up the Mekong River from Phnom Penh, Cambodia to Don Khong, Laos. Between the two points are some of the most spectacular scenery in Southeast Asia. From the flooded forests of Steng Trung to the waterfalls south of Don Khong, one will be at a loss for words when faced with nature’s beauty.

I have spent the last two weeks, using, testing and evaluating my equipment for this journey. Space is not an issue, however I wanted to downsize my kit for this trip. So far, I have decided to bring:

Nikon D700

Nikon D300s

Nikkor AF-D fisheye 16mm lens

Nikkor AF-S 14-24 f/2.8 zoom lens

Nikkor AF-S 24-70 f/2.8 zoom lens

Nikkor AF-S 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 zoom lens

Nikkor AF-D 85mm f/1.4 lens or Sigma 50 EX DG HSM f/1.4 lens

Hammock time.

Obviously the three zoom lenses were selected so that the focal range from 14mm -450mm (DX 1.5 crop) is covered. I was not so concerned with the 70-300 lens’ lack of wider aperture as much as the weight of my 80-200mm f/2.8 or the 70-200 f/2.8. I expect the lighting to be sufficient so as not to cause the 70-300 any issues. The 85mm or the 50mm will come along for their lower light capabilities as a hedge against darker conditions along the water. And the fisheye solely because I enjoy the results of that lens.

Beyond the cameras and lenses are a whole host of other gear which I will discuss in my next posting.

Photographs were taken with a Nikon D700 and Nikkor AF-D 80-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens and Leica M8 and Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.